Staskelunas accepts walk-on offer from N.C. State

Parrott Academy's Nate Staskelunas has been offered a spot on N.C. State's football team as a preferred walk-on. Staskelunas had 849 receiving yards and 17 touchdowns for the Patriots last season.

Photo courtesy of Emily Exum

By Ryan Herman / Sports Editor

Published: Thursday, March 28, 2013 at 11:16 PM.

Nate Staskelunas is used to having the smallest letters on the back of his football jersey. With a last name 11 letters long, it may be difficult to read from the Carter-Finley Stadium seats farthest away from the field.

If the Parrott Academy senior wants N.C. State’s fans to know his name, he’s going to have to step up and perform in a big way.

Staskelunas, a 6-foot-4 all-state receiver for the Patriots last season, has accepted an offer for a spot on the Wolfpack’s roster as a preferred walk-on.

Being a preferred walk-on guarantees Staskelunas a roster spot without a scholarship, but, as with any walk-on, he will still have to work his way onto the field on Saturdays.

“I’m going to have to work hard and never give up, and never get down if it’s not going my way,” he said. “Just keep working hard and learning from my mistakes — and not making many mistakes — and my time will come.”

The two-sport athlete really blossomed as a senior last fall, catching 38 passes for 849 yards and 17 touchdowns, and added 649 yards and seven TDs while in the backfield.

Nate Staskelunas is used to having the smallest letters on the back of his football jersey. With a last name 11 letters long, it may be difficult to read from the Carter-Finley Stadium seats farthest away from the field.

If the Parrott Academy senior wants N.C. State’s fans to know his name, he’s going to have to step up and perform in a big way.

Staskelunas, a 6-foot-4 all-state receiver for the Patriots last season, has accepted an offer for a spot on the Wolfpack’s roster as a preferred walk-on.

Being a preferred walk-on guarantees Staskelunas a roster spot without a scholarship, but, as with any walk-on, he will still have to work his way onto the field on Saturdays.

“I’m going to have to work hard and never give up, and never get down if it’s not going my way,” he said. “Just keep working hard and learning from my mistakes — and not making many mistakes — and my time will come.”

The two-sport athlete really blossomed as a senior last fall, catching 38 passes for 849 yards and 17 touchdowns, and added 649 yards and seven TDs while in the backfield.

Staskelunas said an N.C. State coach “just showed up at school” one day inquiring about his play, and after speaking with the player and his head coach, Matt Beaman, the Wolfpack’s interest grew.

North Carolina and East Carolina were also in on the walk-on mix, they said, but since Staskelunas had already decided he wanted to attend N.C. State for academics, an offer to play football on the table made the decision easy.

“I wasn’t expecting it at all,” Staskelunas said.

Staskelunas, who will be the first Parrott graduate to put on the uniform of a major Division I football program, knows how arduous the task ahead of him is.

Once he reports to Raleigh this summer, he’ll go from playing 8-man football, which isn’t known for its physicality, to playing at the highest collegiate level possible.

Staskelunas, who said he has been working extra hard in the weight room lately, feels that he’s ready for the challenge that lies ahead.

Mentally, at least.

“I know I’m going to get beat up (on the field) and hit hard,” he joked. “It’ll be bad, but I’m not worried about it. I’m looking forward to it.”

Beaman, who has been the head football coach at Parrott for one season but was an assistant for Staskelunas’ previous years, sees the upside to his star wide receiver’s potential.

If Staskelunas can continue to grow and refine his work ethic, Beaman believes we can watch the player with 11 letters in his last name on Saturdays.

“He’s just going to have to go in, ready to work,” Beaman said. “This is going to be a huge step up talent-wise. I think he’s got a good opportunity, now it’s up to him what he’s going to make of it.

“I think he does have the skills to go to that level, but it’s going to take a lot of hard work. … Nate really came into his own this year and is a late bloomer, so I think he’s got a lot of room to improve.”

Staskelunas, who said he currently plans on majoring in accounting, is willing to do whatever it takes to make his name known.

“The biggest challenge is going to be earning my spot and learning my role,” he said. “I’m just going to work hard and see what happens.”

Ryan Herman can be reached at 252-559-1073 or Ryan.Herman@Kinston.com. Follow him on Twitter: @KFPSports.